Month: April 2013

Addiction by Ayako Lipstick in Lady of the Lake

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The last lipstick I got from Addiction is one that nearly got away. It’s called Lady of the Lake, and it’s from the “C” or Color range. I managed to get one per line (sheer, pearl & color), by happy accident, so I can’t wait to use them more and make comparisons as to their longevity, etc. This was going to be “the lipstick that got away.” I already had my eye on Gold Fish and Super Woman, but the lady at the counter saw me swatching the darker shades (that were apparently in the sheer range) and suggested this shade. I asked if I could try this on because I was on the fence about it, and let me tell ya—it was a long process. I think the Japanese have such a high regard for hygiene. They sat me down in front of a mirror, and scraped a bit of lipstick on a spatula. Then, she prepped my lips (which I wish I had gotten) and carefully drew on the super creamy, super pigmented …

Make-Up Inventory: Bronzers

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I am revolting… …against the people and companies who want to make us white. This weekend, I was hit by the horrible truth that most Filipinos are suckered into wanting to be whiter. More on that on a previous post I wrote: A Cult(ure) of White. Growing up, I wasn’t really ever into whitening my skin. I mean, I had other “problems” to worry about, like my underbite and braces or my uneven eyes or the overgrown forest on my legs, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Anyway. I never wanted to whiten my skin and I would rejoice every time I went to the beach because I would go home with a pretty tan and a golden glow. 🙂 For the times when I can’t go to the beach, though, there’s always bronzer. I’ve discovered the wonders of bronzer quite recently, so I don’t have very many, but I really wanted to highlight the golden hues of summer so here are a few products to try if you want to fake a little tan …

Addiction by Ayako Lipstick in Super Woman

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Next up from Addiction is another lipstick (as you can see, I reused the packaging picture I took of Gold Fish’s) called Super Woman. This is part of their “S” or sheer range. Super Woman looks like a scary, intimidating red in the tube. I am shit at determining whether a red is blue-toned or yellow-toned. I used to think I could but there have been way too many times where I go “that’s obviously a blue-toned red” and then some (more learned) jerk says it’s actually yellow-toned. But there. It’s red. That much I know. This is a very heavy swatch of Super Woman. As can be expected from a sheer lipstick, this goes on quite lightly but can be built up to the color that you see on this swatch. When I swatched this at the Addiction counter, my eyes grew wide in delight and I knew I had to get it. I don’t find very many wearable reds, and they usually lean towards purple or plum, so this was sort of a …

Made-Up History: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso

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This look was borne out of a need to update this little section of my blog, Made-Up History, and also out of the fear of wearing blue eyeshadow. I never understood it, never knew why people wore it out of campaigns or editorials. When I heard that blues suited brown eyes, I was dubious. Still, curiosity got the better of me and thought this was a good time to do it. This is also partially inspired by both Mariana (whose personal makeup challenge was to wear a red lip in the day time) and Liz (who brought up the question that instigated Mariana’s experiment). Today, we’re going to look at Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon or “The Young Ladies of Avignon,” created in 1907 and is part of MoMA’s collection. (Source) Wikipedia says that it was originally called The Brothel of Avignon, which I can sort of see with the provocative poses of the figures. Even though they are distorted and rendered in the cubist style for which Picasso would be famous for, you can …

A Cult(ure) of White

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This weekend, I received BDJ’s April Box, and was disheartened to see that most of the items were aimed at skin whitening. It’s probably harsh and callous to say, but it felt like a KKK theme instead of an “Oh, So Fresh!” box. It’s not that it’s really a surprise at this point. I’m aware that a large part of the Philippine population want to be whiter. It doesn’t mean that it frustrates me any less. I understand it from the business point of view… People want to be whiter, so companies want to sell them something they will buy. Already frustrated with the box chock-full of whitening products, I was further saddened by a trip to the mall the next day. I had to pick up a few things (i.e. a hairdryer, cotton buds, wipes, sun block) and was constantly peddled whitening lotions and creams. Every corner I turned, I was offered some kind of whitening product. I had just come back after one day at the beach and am sporting a slight tan …

Big in Japan: Drugstore Finds, Part II (Tools)

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This is the second installment of my Japanese drugstore makeup exploration. It’s not the most exciting one, because it’s about tools! I’ve “divided” my other purchases into drafts and there are two more coming up so I hope you watch out for those. 🙂 On to the post! MUJI Face Lotion Sheets It took all of my strength (not really) to not buy these here and wait until I was in Japan, where Japanese products are way cheaper. These little capsule things are compressed absorbent sheets of paper that fold out into a scary face mask when you drown them in some sort of solution such as a moisturizer. I don’t have a facial lotion, so I tried one of these out with my MUJI Toning Water, and holy cow! It made such a difference with how moisturized my face felt! Compared with how I usually use my Toning water—just a soaked cotton pad wiped all over my face—this method made my face feel softer and more moisturized. A++++ for me. Majolica Majorca Eye Reset …

Unboxing: April BDJ Box*

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For April, BDJ nixed the brand exclusives trend it was on (with Shiseido and L’Oreal) and gave its subscribers a mixed bag of stuff. Right off the bat, I have to say that the box had some heft to it, which sometimes translates to a good box. But, Heavy = Full-Size Products ≠ Good, so let’s see how well BDJ’s April box fared. I’ll list the products as they appear on my box card. This month’s theme is Oh, So Fresh! aimed at getting us psyched for “one super summer.” A bulk of the items will help you keep fresh in the summer months, and the rest are just fun bonuses. Sorry if I don’t have a photography~ set-up. I don’t even have a vanity table, so you get my work desk! 1. Bifesta Age Care Cleansing Lotion — Touted as Japan’s first water-based makeup remover, this mimics the effects of cleansing oils, minus the oil. The enclosed sample is not full-sized, but it’s priced at Php 419 for a 300ml bottle. I’m very excited …